Mechanical unit for adjustable louvers



March 20, 1951 w. BROTHERS MECHANICAL UNIT FOR ADJUSTABLE LOUVERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 15, 1947 William Bepfon Brothers March 20, 1951 w. B. BROTHERS 2,545,874

' MECHANICAL UNIT FOR ADJUSTABLE LOUVERS Filed Sept. 15, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor William Benton Brothers By @Mmm nan Wave; 5m

March 20, 1951 w, BROTHERS 2,545,874

MECHANICAL UNIT FOR ADJUSTABLE LOUVERS Filed Sept. 15, 1947. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Will/am Benton Brothers Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED PATENT OFFICE MECHANICAL"- UNIT Fon-A JUs'rAiiLE LOUVERS Wil liam Beritoii Brothers, Miami, Fla.; assign'or of one-third to omens A. Ladig and one-third to John W. stutevma both of Miami, Fla. Applicatibnseptember 15, 1947,'Sefia1No. 773;.9'62

This invention. appertain's" to novel and useful iinprovements" in window and door constructions; particularly of the type utilizing louversi for the purpose of controllably preventing light; air, and other elements from entering the room utilizing" such an improved construction.

An object of this'invention' is to provide means for adjustably controlling louvers' normally positioned within a Window sash or" the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide means'for attaching a plurality of louvers to se'g mental ears; the said segmental gears being pi'v' otally mounted" within a pairof guides or rails;

Another object of this invention is to provide means for interconnecting a plurality of s'eg mental gears having the said louvers' positioned thereon;

Another object of this" inventionis to provide an extremely simple; inexpensive device of the character" described which may be easilyinstalled' within window sashes and the like; 7

Other" objects and features of novelty will he;

com'eap'paren't' to those'skilled. in the art, in" fol lowing the description of the preferred form of the present invention, illustrated in the" a'cobni panyingldrawi'ngs, wherein: 7

Figure-11s an elevational view of thefinvention, showing thesarne in'a closediorm';

Figure 2" is a perspective view of one form of the present invention, showing the" louvers re moved; I

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the invention shown in Figure 2 taken' substantially on" the line' 3-3 thereof and'in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an exploded view" shown in" perspeo tiv'e', illustrating the aetuationmeans'util'iaed in conjunction with the presentinve'ntion;

Figure 51s a fragmentary perspectiveview of the rail or guide utilized'inconjunction with this" invention; I

Figure" 6 isa perspective View of the segmental ge'arforniing part of the invention; 1

Figure" 7' is a sectional view illustrating the actuation means forming part of thepie'se'ntinvention; 1

Figure 8" illustrates a conventi'onar rack gear" which maybe usedas an alternate construction in the present invention;

Figl'iif 9'is' a sebtibhajl vi'ew 'illiistlatillga' second embodiment" of' the invention?" Figure 10'"is"a tr'ansver'sefsectional viewfof the" invention shown inli'igure' 'andtak'enon' thelihe" lug-I thereof? and Figure 11: is an explodei i' perspective"viewilliistrating a clamp fifeansutiliid in" this invei'iftiohi Referring now in detail to the; illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, like reference characters are used throughout to indicate" similar elements.

This invention has been developed to provide a device for adjusting louvers to selected positions; easily and dextrously It is further within the purview of the'present invention to supply a complete' unit which may be verysimply and easily iabric'aterl on the set of construction operation.

of course, tendsto reduce the cost of the- Referring to Figure 6, it will be'noted that a;

segmental gear IE is provided with a pair of brackets" f8 and 2!! respectively extending there' from A c1ip 2'2 is alsb secured to the said seg' mental gear [6 o'hliosite" the" brackets l8; and 20. Going" further into the disclosure of Figure 6, it' will be noted that a pair of apertures 2t and 25' are supplied therein, the said aperture" 24 being utilized for pivotally mounting the segmentalgear' it within therail' Hi.

A plurality of these segmental gears 16 are juxtapositioned within the" rail l0" and the teeth portion of the said gears are engageable with the rackgearl t It isfininiedia'tely obvious'fromi an ins'pec'tiiiri of' Figure 2' that upon movement of thesaid rackgearwithih' the channel l2, each of the said segmental gearswill be rotated;

Pbsitio'n'ed' between the brackets' Is and. 20

and thesaid clip 22' is a louver or louver member 28'. This louver is attached to" the said' bracket through the utility of bolts, screws; or'any other equivalent. The clip 22 engages the outer surfaceof the said lo'uver's 28 ior the purpose of firmly clam-ping this louver in position;

Going now to Figure 41 it will-be seen that a bracket 38 is secured to the channel portion 12- of the said rail mane apertures s-z'are formed therein; The" compleineritalbracket 34 is sup plied having lugs 35eXtendin'g therefrom; These 111gs-areengageab1emine said apertures 32 order to retain thebraekets 3!) and 3:2; res'pec It; W111 be notedat this point that the said bracket" 35 is also-secured to the rail H3 by any suitable means tivly', in the proper fixed position.-

and 40, respectively, having a shaft 42 extending therethrough is provided. This shaft may have a reduced portion 44 at the terminal portion thereof engageable with a selected aperture 46 in the said bracket 30.. Obviously, a cut-out or recess 48 may be supplied in the said bracket 34 for the purpose of permitting free access and rotation of the shaft in its journaling point.

The said pair of gears 38 and 40, respectively, are engageable with a worm gear 56 and the teeth of the said rack gear M, respectively. The said worm gear 5i) is journaled in suitable apertures 52 and 54, respectively, which are formed in the brackets 30 and 3d. Handle means for rotating the worm is provided in association with the said worm gear 56 and may be noted at 56.

In lieu of the rack gear 14, a second type of rack 53 may be supplied with only a small change in the size of the channel l2 requisite to accommodate this modified form of gear. Of course, the function of the said rack gear Ell is identical to that of the gear I4.

The said louvers 23 extend across a Window, door, or the like and terminate in a second set of segmental gears Hi. In order to emcaciously operate this second set of segmental gears, the apertures mentioned above are utilized. A spacer 62 extends longitudinally of the said second row of segmental gears I6 and is pivoted to each of the said gears. A pin 64 extends through suitable apertures in the said spacer and through each aperture 25 provided in each of the said gears It. Of course, this construction transmits the force utilized in sliding the rack gear hi to the opposite sides of the louvers 28 for an even and smooth action.

Referring now to the second embodiment of the invention, reference is made primarily to Figure 9. The majority of the elements utilized in this embodiment of the invention are identical to those utilized in the first described form thereof and will be given the same reference characters. Segmental gears K5 are associated with the said rail l9 and the usual louvers 28 are secured to each of the said segmental gears. Bracket means ill may be rigidly secured within the track [2 and a shaft 12 journaled therein. A worm gear M is fixed to the said shaft i2 and is engageable with a selected segmental gear iii. A bracket it is also secured within the said track 12 and a complemental bracket i3 is fixedly received in the rail H) for the purpose of cooperating with the said bracket it to form a perch. An aperture 8i! is supplied in the bracket 16 for the purpose of journaling the shaft l2 therein. A bevel gear 82 is secured at the terminal portion of the said shaft '12 and is engageable with a second bevel gear 84. This last-mentioned bevel gear has a shaft 86 extending therefrom and also journaled in suitable apertures 88 and 98, respectively, in the said brackets 76 and '18. The said shaft 92 has handle means extending therefrom for the purpose of rotating the shaft T2, thereby actuating the louvers to the selected position.

The spacer 62 is pivotally secured to each of the said segmental gears It for synchronizing the actuation of all of the gears. Of course, in this embodiment of the invention, a construction similar to that in conjunction with the first embodiment for the opposite side of the louver construction may be supplied. This permits of further synchronization and even transmutation of force.

It will be noted, at this point, that for engineering purposes a portion of a selected seg'-' mental gear may be cut away in order to provide space for the bracket 3.6, in conjunction with the first embodiment of the invention. This, however, falls within the scope and purview of the invention, concerning the various small departures. that may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, limitation is sought only in accordance with the scope of the following claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Means for selectively controlling the entry of light and air into a room comprising a first and second vertical rail, a first set and a second set of segmental gears respectively pivoted to said rails, front and rear clips secured to each of said gears, louvers extending across said rails and secured between said first and second clips, means connecting the gears of the first set in the first rail, a shaft journaled in said first rail,- means for drivingly connecting said shaft and said last-mentioned gears to rotate said first set of gears, and means connecting the gears of the second set in said second rail comprising a spacer engaging each of said last-mentioned gears.

2. A louver control apparatus comprising a pair of vertical rails, each rail including a vertical. rear channel member with an open front facing the front of the rail and a raised vertical portion spaced from the channel member, a set of segmental gears each With a clip at the front thereof and teeth at the rear thereof, pivot pins fastening each gear to the raised portion of one rail, a bracket fixed to each gear at a point intermediate said teeth and said clips, a second set of segmental gears fixed for pivotal movement to the raised portion of the other of the rails a spacer engaging each gear of the second set, louver members secured to opposite gears of each set, each louver having one end fixed between one said bracket and one clip of one of the gears of the first-mentioned set of gears, and means fixing the opposite end of each louver member to the opposite gear in the second set.

3. A louver control apparatus comprising a pair of vertical rails, each rail including a vertical rear channel member with an open front facing the front of the rail and a raised vertical portion spaced from the channel member, a set of segmental gears each with a clip at the front thereof and teeth at the rear thereof, pivot pins fastening each gear to the raised portion of one rail, a bracket fixed to each gear at a point intermediate said teeth and said clips, a second set of segmental gears fixed for pivotal movement to the raised portion of the other of said rails, a spacer operatively engaging each gear of the second set, louver members secured to opposite gears of each set, each louver having one end fixed between one said bracket and one clip of one of the gears of the first-mentioned set of gears, and means fixing the opposite end of each louver member to the opposite gear in the second set, each clip having a pair of legs with one leg disposed on the longitudinal edge of one louver member, and the other leg disposed on a face of the one louver.

4. A louver control apparatus comprising a pair of vertical rails, each rail including a vertical rear channel member with an open front facing the front of the rail and a raised vertical portion spaced from the channel member, a set of segmental gears each with a clip at the front thereof and teeth at the rear thereof, pivot pins fastening each gear to the raised portion of one rail, a bracket fixed to each gear at a point intermediate said teeth and said clips, a

second set of segmental gears fixed for pivotal movement to the raised portion of the other of the rails, a spacer operatively engaging each gear of the second set, louver members secured to opposite gears of each set, each louver having one end fixed between one said bracket and one clip of one of the gears of the first-mentioned set of gears, means fixing the opposite end of each louver member to the opposite gear in the second set, each clip having a pair of legs with one leg disposed on the longitudinal edge of one louver member, the other leg disposed on a face of the one louver, and means for operating said first-mentioned set of gears including a housing fixed to one of the rails with a gear train disposed therein, and a gear member disposed in the channel in the rail to which the housing is attached, and said gear member being 6 enmeshed with said first set of segmental gears and drivingly connected with said gear train. WILLIAM BENTON BROTHERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

